1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for apprehending fleeing vehicles, and particularly to a system for capturing that deploys a hook from a first vehicle for penetrating and securing the rear bumper of a second vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
The apprehension of criminals who are fleeing in vehicles from law authority personnel, who are also in vehicles, can greatly disrupt the safety and well being of nearby citizens. In a high-speed chase or pursuit of criminals, other vehicles, pedestrians and the law enforcement personnel are all put at risk.
Various methods of capturing or stopping a fleeing vehicle are known, including the shooting out the fleeing vehicle's tires, following the fleeing vehicle until it crashes or runs out of fuel, using crash barriers which are erected in the path of the fleeing vehicle, or spreading nails, either loosely strewn or attached to strips, on the roadway to puncture the fleeing vehicle's tires. Other systems and methods include the use of a barbed harpoon to snare the vehicle, as well as further devices that disable the fleeing vehicle's engine by burning out the ignition through application of electronic or microwave energy.
Such systems and methods, however, provide additional unsafe conditions beyond the safety risk of the chase itself. For example, disabling the fleeing vehicle's engine also causes the fleeing vehicle to lose overall power, including power to power steering and brakes, which could result in a serious accident. Harpooning the vehicle may lead to accidental impaling of the driver or passenger in the fleeing vehicle, and also lead to the vehicle going out of control. Nail strips, crash barriers and the like require a great deal of effort and set-up, with time and energy not always being available to do so, and may also cause the vehicle to go out of control, thus accidentally injuring pedestrians and other drivers.
Thus, a system for capturing a vehicle solving the aforementioned problems is desired.